Clik here to view.
Wasatch Update
Now that the Wasatch Mountains actually have some snow, it is like celebrating November in February – a bit late, but welcome. Last Saturday we followed a masterful skin track up the Argenta aprons on...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Cook Tent Architecture
My first impression of pyramid style tarp tents was not good. After arriving at a barren, windy trailhead late at night, we set the tent up, stripped down and crawled into our sleeping bags. The next...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ski Touring Set Up For a Six Year-Old
After trying a few other approaches, I finally pieced together a touring set-up for our six year-old daughter, Mira. It turned out to be more complicated than I expected, but in the end it seems to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wilderness Ski Week Recap
I’ve started to lose track of how many times I’ve been up to the Ultima Thule Lodge in the Wrangell-St.Elias National Park & Preserve (WSENPP), which is a good thing as even too many trips will...
View ArticleClik here to view.
2014 Ice Axe Expeditions Antarctic Ski Cruise Trip Report
Another Ice Axe Antarctic Ski Cruise has gone down in the history books, and like all those before it, this was yet another good one. I love how these trips start by collecting people from all over the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New Zealand 2006 – Trip Series
This trip came about in a serendipitous manner. In 2006 I wanted to see if I could ski all seven continents, and had just happened to meet Grant Guise through Ski Mountaineering racing, which Steve...
View ArticleClik here to view.
State of the Wasatch – Jan 11, 2015
In the comments from my last post I was called out as “an elitist blowhard,” so I’ll try to live up to that reputation by now kvetching about the Wasatch snowpack. It is okay… but we really need more...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Spring Trip Offerings – Svalbard, Wrangells & Antarctica
Although it barely feels like the winter has even started here in the Wasatch, spring is just around the corner and now is a good time to make plans. I’ll be returning to the Wrangell-St.Elias range...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tiny Packs –
The Law of Luggage states: “The amount of stuff you carry will expand to fit whatever size backpack you have.” For this reason and a few others, I use a tiny little 15 liter pack for backcountry skiing...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wrangell-St. Elias Range Trip Report
This was my seventh trip to the Wrangells and more than anything, it confirmed my suspicions from the previous six outings that this place is indeed the greatest skiing on earth. Of course the greatest...
View ArticleClik here to view.
2015 Antarctic Peninsula Trip Report
The 2015 Ice Axe Adventure Cruise is a wrap and I’m already excited to hear that they’ve already sold out the upper cabins for 2016 as well. Yippy! I love this trip for thousands of reasons, but from...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wasatch Update
Now that the Wasatch Mountains actually have some snow, it is like celebrating November in February – a bit late, but welcome. Last Saturday we followed a masterful skin track up the Argenta aprons on...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Winter Camping – 2016 Improvements
On my first winter camping trip we brought a gallon jug of water, which quickly froze and left us with no water and 9 pounds of dead weight. Things have improved slightly since then, but I’m still...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Super Stove Board Construction
It only takes getting three liters of boiling hot water spilled in your lap once to realize the importance of a good stove board for heavy winter camping. Boiling water and melting snow are major...
View ArticleClik here to view.
XGK Stove Tips & Tricks
I like MSR XGK EX Multi-Fuel stoves for the same reason military types prefer certain weapons over others – they can be dragged through the mud, stepped on, abused and still reliably fire. There are...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ushuaia and Antarctica 2016 Trip Report
Twenty sixteen: The year of a relatively smooth Drake over (Beaufort 4-5), perfect weather, lots of ice which kept us from going too far south, skiing Deception Island, another great Black & White...
View ArticleClik here to view.
DIY Boot Dryer
I have to admit I’ve pondered this project for at least two years (not full time – don’t worry) and had a few false starts. I’ve been thinking of a cheap, durable, compact boot dryer which could...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wounded Wizard
In the age of acute political backcountry correctness, being insulted or yelled at by Bob Athey, aka The Wizard of the Wasatch, is a badge of honor. I almost feel sorry for the up and coming...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Just the Tip Video Compilation
Towards the end of the 2017 winter, I started shooting a series of short videos on ski mountaineering skills. Originally it was going to be entitled “Tips and Tricks” but during a powder session with...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Moving Through Kashmir – A Gulmarg Ski Primer
Much like La Grave, France, Gulmarg in Kashmir is a lift served backcountry skiing paradise. The main difference between the two areas is that what La Grave has in vertical and steeps, Gulmarg has in...
View Article